Simple Parties for Sweet Babies

This season of life is filled with babies. Not only do I work with babies as a nurse, but so many of my friends have babies and are having babies. The Mister and I are not at that point just yet, so I love being able to babysit, cuddle, celebrate, and then give back the little ones.

I co-hosted a baby shower for a friend who is having a little boy. We tried to keep it simple, with the décor and with the food.

 

 

We had an assortment of cheeses, crackers, breads, and meats. To display them, we pulled out lots of platters and cutting boards. We kept to a simple, clean display by using white platters, slate cheese platters, and wooden platters and cutting boards with wood slices thrown in the mix. Mixed nuts in simple white bowls and cupcakes scattered around also helped lend to a casual, pretty feel.

 

For décor, we used simple potted flowers and lavender with burlap around their base on the table and assorted paper bunting in the color scheme (red, blues, and whites) around the table and above a present and the inspiration for the shower - a radio flyer wagon!

 

 

As an introvert, I tend to shy away from the typical, intense shower games. So, we made a trivia game with various facts about the Mom-to-Be as a baby and about her mom's pregnancy, such as what was her favorite baby food and how much did she weigh at birth.



 

 

It was so much fun. Now, for the little ones arrival!

Couples Stock the Pantry Shower

My best friend (remember her?) asked met to be her MOH. Huge honor. I was so thankful. Then, my mind went in to overdrive. I had to plan things. BIG things. First on the list - a bridal shower. It was so. much. fun. Here some details and some highlights from the day.

I ordered the invites from geldesign on Etsy. Loved working with Galen. She is super fast, very flexible, and wants the design to be exactly what you are looking for. Plus, she is very reasonably priced. These invites came with matching recipe cards that I showed you guys when I also shared the recipe card box I redid.

 

 

This tiny table came from my moms house. It greeted guests with a precious scale I picked up from a thrift store in town. The "guest book" was actually a plate with a pretty basket weave pattern on the edges that guests signed so Lauren could display it in her kitchen. Pictures of the couple were on each table. Flowers were in recycled bottles and wrapped in pretty paper. I made some wax paper poofs to round out the little decor touches.

 

  

Favors were green tea that I wrapped in some parchment paper envelopes I made with a heart cutout that said "love is brewing."

 

 





A game that had many guests scratching their heads was "Name the Herb" which also included 2 spices. The most head-scratching herb? That last one. It was chocolate mint.  The other 2 herbs were basil and cilantro. The 3 guests with the most correct picked an herb and took it home. The bride-to-be took the 2 spices (cinnamon and cumin).

 

Tables were decorated with white table clothes topped with brown kraft paper. More flowers in recycled bottled wrapped in pretty paper adorned the tables (and some more poofs). Pictures were everywhere. There were also little cards that had trivial questions about the couple (like where did he propose and what their favorite snacks were). It was a nice little thing for table conversation.

 

 

White balloons of different sizes were pinned above the gift table, just to serve as a fun little piece of interest. And look at that tablecloth! For the main tables (gifts and food), I put brown craft paper over lacey tablecloths. I think that was my favorite touch.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there are my second favorite touch - those big tissue paper poofs over the food table. Sweets and finger sandwiches with fruits and veggies were arranged on different platters and bowls on the table. Silverware was displayed in jars. Those 2 cookie jars held donut holes in 1 (for the groom-to-be and his love for donuts) and fortune cookies (to represent the proposal in China). Little chalkboard made an appearance in a few different places, but silly me was running around being a hostess so few photos were taken before people arrived. Sorry! I wish I would have captured a few more details for you guys.

 

I had a lot of fun planning it and am so grateful for the help of  the other bridesmaids. But truly, I just hope it was what she wanted. Love you, La!

Coffee and Champagne Couples Wedding Shower

 

 Yesterday I talked about my best friend and promised I would share photos from her couples shower. And I bet by the title you are thinking that today is the day. Well, I'm actually sharing another dear friend's shower I had the joy of co-hosting. Her name is Holly. She actually took the picture of us that I featured in this blog post.

 

We threw this little shindig at The Mister's and my apartment's clubhouse media room. There were only a dozen or so expected guests, so the size was just right. The other hostesses and I tried to keep it casually elegant and totally represent the couple. A chalkboard sign hung at the entrance to greet guests.





Here is the lovely couple. Aren't they adorable?!

 

He loves coffee and socializing with friends. She loves photography, simplicity, and delicious desserts. Both of their likes were intertwined throughout the décor. So please, take a peek at the pieces of the Coffee and Champagne Dessert Couples Wedding Shower!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

So many delicious desserts. And that awesome succulent in the frame? Yeah, The Mister and I made that. I will share the how to with you guys, so don't fret! It was a blast.

 

 

 

All the hostesses with the beautiful bride-to-be (but now she's married! Yay!).

I love all of these women. So. Much.